30 Everyone stays at Rick's
But Gibbs doesn't go back to Washington just yet. There's a tremendous amount of paperwork still to be done, the carrier group is still in Rota on liberty, the SAIC is enjoying the Lucy-in-the-sky-with-diamonds phase of his recovery, and the office is now woefully understaffed. Gibbs moves into BOC and takes over the desk of one of the detailed agents, tactful enough to leave Tony's office alone. Though he does help himself to the clean shirts and socks. Not the first time he's done that.
Abby stays because the tech is still unreachable in Patagonia, and because with everyone else staying she would be lonely in Washington, and because Painkiller Tony is, after all, her third favorite Tony. She's said before that Undercover Dirtball Tony is her second favorite Tony, which leaves McGee wondering which Tony holds the number one spot.
To Ducky he asks: "You don't think those two ever…"
Ducky sighs. "I don't think so, but have you ever heard Abby talk about the dreams involving her and Tony at the zoo? Ah, then don't ask. Some things once heard cannot be unheard."
Also, Abby has a new best friend in Becks. She shows Becks that there are games other than Tetris, introduces her to really loud music, finds a chain for the little pink Swiss army knife, and covers her in temporary tattoos. "I want one just like her," she says to McGee. "I mean, just like her."
"I don't think human cloning is viable yet," McGee says. "You'll have to consider more traditional means of reproduction."
And so McGee stays too, and they both wedge themselves into the small fourth bedroom, though they're quiet about it.
Ducky stays because he's got more vacation time than he will ever use, and he sees that he's still needed. Not by Tony; the first few days after all the excitement are bad ones for Tony, morphine or not, but after that he turns a corner, and Ducky stops worrying about the competency of the base hospital. After a few more days of Tony's verbal improvisations, and the growing irritation of the hospital staff, even Ducky realizes it's time to turn down the morphine drip.
Ducky stays because he sees his girls need him until Tony comes home. Becks is cheerful all day, going back and forth between the office and the hospital, her eyes shining and every other sentence beginning with "Abby says…" But she sobs when it's time to leave Babbo at the hospital, and she's desolate at bedtime. It takes two or three full Ducky stories to get her to sleep. Even the added warmth and distraction of having Abby and McGee in the house can't console her.
Nor do they console Ziva. Ducky notices that Ziva can't bring herself to sleep in her own bed. The first few nights she sleeps in Becks's bed; another night on the floor in Becks's room, and then on the couch upstairs. On the day that Tony is to be released and the rest of her houseguests to return to Washington, Ducky finds her at dawn in a chair on the terrace. He takes her a cup of tea.
"It is silly," she says. "But nothing feels familiar. I do not feel at home now. And I am afraid that I never will."
"There has been nothing normal or familiar about these days, my dear. You must give it time. These things don't disappear, but they get smaller with time. Manageable."
"I'm so worried," she whispers.
"Don't be. Rebecca will be fine. She's young and she's loved. But you're not worried about Rebecca, are you? Or yourself."
"He jokes," she says. "He says nothing serious. Do not say it is the painkillers, Ducky. You have seen him like this before. You saw what happened to him after Jenny died. What was going on underneath the silliness."
"Yes, but he righted himself eventually."
"But it took years, and it was—hard to watch. We do not have years. I could not bear for Rebecca to see him so lost."
"Which is why it won't happen that way. Ziva, Anthony's troubles were never just about Jenny Shepard. He is where he ought to be now, and he knows that. He will get over this far more slowly than you or Rebecca. But he will. And cheer up, my dear. When the times comes, you'll know what to do. Any woman who can get Tony DiNozzo to drive a Smart Car does not lack for resources."
That makes her smile. "Thank you, Ducky. For everything. We could not manage without you."
"And I thank you, Ziva. Jethro accused me of becoming a romantic the other day."
"I think you have always been a romantic."
"Perhaps, but in my day one was taught to resist the impulse. We always think of bad acts having great consequences. But at my age you realize that good ones do, too. The happiness of one person can add to the happiness of another, with no loss." He smiles. "If nothing else, I believe your situation has persuaded Abigail to reconsider her romantic life, which will make Timothy very happy indeed."
The mention of Gibbs makes Ziva more solemn. "I do not know how Gibbs survived."
"I don't know either, and this romantic old man is very glad that you won't have to find out for yourself. Now I should go wake Abby and Timothy. We mustn't miss our flight. Oh, and remember that nail polish remover is far more effective on the temporary tattoos than soap. There's bound to be a bottle in Tony's desk. It's good on the superglue as well."